Television broadcasts in the United States have recently switched from analog communication to digital communication. The frequency bands that have been made available by this switch are referred to as TV white space (TVWS). A device that can use TVWS is referred to as a TV band device (TVBD), or might be referred to herein simply as a device. A TVBD may be a fixed device (e.g., an access point), a mobile/portable device, or both.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States has established regulations for TVWS channel usage that require TVBDs to be registered with a database manager and to consult a database of available TVWS channels before transmitting on any TVWS channels. This is necessary in order to assure coordination of usage with the primary broadcasting services. A TVBD must also provide the database with information about its ownership and operation. This information is to be made available to the FCC to assist in the mitigation/resolution of interference between primary users (TV broadcast systems) and TVBDs. Hereinafter, the term “FCC” might refer specifically to the communications regulatory agency in the United States or generically to any communications regulatory agency.